Friends And Old Foes Lining Up To Support Patric Verrone’s State Senate Bid

Former WGA West President Patric Verrone’s campaign for a seat in the California Senate is getting support from a wide range of fellow writers – including the backing of guild candidates he once campaigned against. Verrone, who led the contentious 2007-08 writers strike, has been something of a lightning rod for those who opposed the walkout. But that hasn’t prevented some of his old foes from throwing their support to him now. John Wells, who defeated Verrone for WGA president in 2009, now is supporting Verrone for the state Senate. And Kathy Kiernan, who Verrone defeated for the guild’s presidency in 2007, is now supporting him too.

“I’m getting support from writers in all economic strata, from new entry-level writers to showrunners,” Verrone told Deadline, “and I am especially grateful for the support from WGA members with whom I have not always seen eye to eye politically in the past. These are colleagues and friends for many years who feel the same way I do about keeping Hollywood jobs in Hollywood and fighting for the middle class.”

Verrone, who says he has the support for his candidacy from “every current member” of the WGA West’s board of directors, also has picked up the endorsements of current guild President Chris Keyser and negotiating committee co-chairs Billy Ray and Chip Johannessen. Clearly, no matter what their feelings about the strike, many writers and guild leaders understand that having Verrone in the Senate campaigning to keep film and television production in Los Angeles will be good for writers.

Other writers lining up to support Verrone in his tight primary race to represent California’s 26th District include Judd Apatow, Seth MacFarlane, Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, Parks And Recreation creator Greg Daniels, Twilight screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, The Simpsons writers Al Jean and Ian Maxtone-Graham, The Closer and Major Crimes writer and executive producer James Duff, Night At The Museum scribe Robert Ben Garant and Family Guy producer David A. Goodman.